99% Invisible The 2024 Olympics Spectacular
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Jul 23, 2024 Discover the obscure sports of past Olympics, Montreal's financial strain, a tragic incident at Seoul's opening ceremony, and a twist on future Olympic hosting locations.
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Walk-On Olympians
- In 1896, two Harvard brothers on holiday won the pistol competition at the Athens Games.
- They simply showed up with their pistols and participated, highlighting the casual nature of early Olympics.
Unusual 1900 Games
- The 1900 Paris Olympics featured unusual events like firefighting and obstacle swimming.
- Firefighting involved extinguishing a lit house and performing a fake rescue.
Unofficial Olympics
- The 1900 Olympics were not initially recognized officially until 80 years later.
- They were part of the World's Fair, and some viewed the Olympics as a strange cult.